This invention is generally in the field of implantable drug delivery devices, and more particularly to intravesical devices for the controlled release of drug.
Drug delivery is an important aspect of medical treatment. The efficacy of many drugs is directly related to the way in which they are administered. Various systemic methods of drug delivery include oral, intravenous, intramuscular, and transdermal. These systemic methods may produce undesirable side effects and may result in the metabolization of the drug by physiological processes, ultimately reducing the quantity of drug to reach the desired site. Accordingly, a variety of devices and methods have been developed to deliver drug in a more targeted manner, i.e., locally, to address many of the problems associated with systemic drug delivery.
In recent years, the development of microdevices for local drug delivery is one area that has proceeded steadily. Activation of drug release can be passively or actively controlled. Examples of controlled drug delivery devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,898, U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,072, U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,522, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,875,208.
These microdevices can be divided roughly in two categories: resorbable polymer-based devices and nonresorbable devices. Polymer devices have the potential for being biodegradable, therefore avoiding the need for removal after implantation. These devices typically have been designed to provide controlled release of drug in vivo by diffusion of the drug out of the polymer and/or by degradation of the polymer over a predetermined period following administration to the patient.
Interstitial cystitis (IC) and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) are chronic painful disorders that affect approximately 67 per 100,000 women (Curhan et al., J. Urol. 161(2): 549-52 (1999)) and 7 per 100,000 men (Collins et al., J. Urol. 159(4); 1224-28 (1998)) in the United States. Both conditions are characterized by chronic pelvic pain, urinary frequency and urgency, and variable degrees of sexual dysfunction. Pentosan polysulfate (PPS) currently is used to treat this condition. However, conventional methods and devices for delivering the drug have significant shortcomings. For example, oral delivery (ELMIRON™, Ortho-McNeil) suffers from low bioavailability, as low as 3% due to a high first pass effect (Parsons et al., J. Urol. 153(1): 139-42 (1990)), and causes some mild side effects, such as headaches. PPS delivered intravesically through cystoscopy (with a catheter through the urethra) can provide improved therapeutic effects while reducing the side effects of the drug (Bade et al., Br. J Urol. 79(2): 168-71 (1997)). However, the implantation procedure is painful and requires repeating the procedure twice per week for three months. The repetitive nature of this procedure also engendered high risks for urinary tract infection and bacteremia. Thus, a pronounced need exists for an intravesical drug delivery device that will substantially reduce the number of cystoscopic procedures necessary to deliver an effective amount of PPS or other drugs needed for local delivery over an extended period.
Other therapies could benefit from improved intravesical drug delivery devices, particularly where local delivery of a drug to the bladder is preferred or necessary—such as when the side effects associated with systemic delivery of the drug are unbearable and/or when bioavailability from oral administration is too low. For instance, oxybutynin is used for the treatment of overactive bladder syndrome. Currently, oxybutynin is delivered orally or transdermally. Unfortunately, however, approximately 61% of patients taking the drug experience side effects and approximately 7 to 11% of the patients actually stop treatment due to the severity of the side effects.
Situs Corporation developed an intravesical drug delivery system (UROS infuser device) for the delivery of pharmaceutical solutions of drugs, such as oxybutynin (for the treatment of overactive bladder) and mitomycin C (for the treatment of bladder cancer). The UROS infuser device and methods of making and implanting the device are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,298, No. 6,183,461; and No. 6,139,535. The UROS infuser device has an elastomeric outer tubing and contains inextensible wire which connects both inner ends. The device has a linear shape during the cystoscopic insertion into the bladder, changes to a crescent shape following implantation and filling of the device with the pharmaceutical solution, and returns to a linear shape after releasing all of the pharmaceutical solution. Extended release of the pharmaceutical solution is controlled by means of a pressure-responsive valve and/or flow-resistive element inside the tubing. The size of the UROS infuser device depends on the size of each inner component, and a considerable portion of the inner volume is used to contain the mechanical components, not drug solution. With a length of approximately 10 cm and an outer diameter of approximately 0.6 cm, the large size of the UROS infuser device can cause significant discomfort and pain to patients, particularly during urological deployment and retrieval of the device. The UROS infuser device also requires an additional surgical procedure for loading of the pharmaceutical solution into the device following implantation. Accordingly, a need exists for an intravesical drug delivery device that is smaller in size, to avoid unnecessary discomfort and pain in patients. In addition, it would be desirable to provide an intravesical drug delivery device that can minimize the number of surgical procedures required for implantation and delivery of drug over the treatment period.